More than seven years have passed since Andy Murray first reached the world No 2 position in men's tennis.

Now, with the 2016 season entering the home straight, he is tantalisingly near to making what he called the hardest leap of all after winning his latest ATP Tour title.

Murray inflicted his latest defeat on France's Jo Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday to take the Erste Bank Vienna Open title, his third tournament success in a row and his fifteenth consecutive singles victory in this Autumn surge.

British No 1 Andy Murray holds up the Erste Bank Open trophy after victory in Vienna

The Scot shakes hands with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (left) following his straight sets triumph

Murray defeated Tsonga to edge nearer to the World No 1 ranking during a stunning 2016

'I get a step closer with every win but it's still a long way from here,' Murray said, after triumphing 6-3 7-6 in one hour and 48 minutes. 'From two to one seems a small jump in a way but it's the hardest one to make. To go from 100 to 50 is more spots but is a lot easier.'

Not only has the 29 year-old Scot equalled Novak Djokovic's tally of seven tournament titles this season, his rival is finally within range of being overtaken at the top of the rankings after 122 consecutive weeks in residence.

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This week's indoor Paris Masters is perfectly set up, with a relatively simple equation in play if Murray is to usurp the Serb and become the oldest new number one since John Newcombe in 1974.

Should Djokovic fail to reach the final then Murray can leapfrog him if he takes the title. If Djokovic falls before the semi-final then Murray needs only to make the final to reach the pinnacle.

Murray was his usual animated self as he did battle with Frenchman Tsonga in Vienna

Tsonga can't hide his frustration having seen a chance go begging against Murray on Sunday

Determination was written all over Murray's face as he chases the world No 1 spot

HOW ANDY MURRAY CAN BECOME WORLD NO 1

Andy Murray will overtake Novak Djokovic as world No 1 on November 7 if:

Murray wins the Paris Masters and Djokovic loses before the final

OR

Murray reaches the final and Djokovic loses before the semi-finals.

The present incumbent's form has dipped since winning Roland Garros, but his record at this week's event is outstanding, less anyone thinks it is a formality. He has won the title at the Bercy stadium for the past three years.

The ranking situation is clearly on the Scot's mind, and he has tenaciously pursued number one by winning across continents in October. First there was the Beijing Open, then the Shanghai Masters, and now Vienna, which was a relatively late addition to his schedule.

Tsonga was often left frustrated as Murray had him on the back foot at every opportunity

The Frenchman came back strongly in the second set, but it wasn't enough in the tie-break

Tsonga plays an athletic half-volley forehand during the final of the Erste Bank Open

All that remains now is Paris and the points-rich Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London's 02 Arena.

'I was thinking more about how you are going to win the match rather than what it would mean if you did win it. But obviously it's nice to win my seventh tournament,' Murray said of his latest victory. 'A lot of them have come in the last few months. After the Australian Open I struggled a little bit but the last few months have been very good. In some other years, a year like this would easily be enough to be No. 1 in the world.'

Fatigue could be his biggest enemy this month, but there was little sign of that as he outplayed the explosive Tsonga up until the middle of the second set, when he missed two points for a double break.

Murray's service game was strong as he put on a dominant display in the final in Vienna

The Scot is now closing in on Novak Djokovic (pictured) and his position as world No 1

Tsonga then discovered one of his periodic upswings to take it to a tie-break as Murray became increasingly frustrated. The shootout was desperately close until 6-5, when Murray netted a return on his first match point.

He then created a second with a wonderful half volley and finished it off with an ace, collecting a £386,900 (428,000 Euro) cheque that will have seemed secondary to the points. Murray has a bye in the first round of Paris, where the last two spots for London will also be decided.

Also on Sunday, after only just squeezing through the group stages, Slovakia's Dominka Cibulkova became the surprise champion of the WTA Finals when she defeated world No 1 Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-4 in the final in Singapore.

ANDY MURRAY'S 2016 HONOUR ROLL

January: Australian Open final

April: Monte Carlo Open semis

May: Madrid Open final, Italian Open title

June: French Open final, Aegon Championships title

July: Wimbledon title

August: Olympic gold medal, Cincinnati Masters final

September: US Open quarter-final

October: Beijing Open title, Shanghai Masters title, Vienna Open title